Cooking booths at events

In order to increase fire safety for both booth operators and the public, the following requirements must be met when portable exterior (open-flame cooking devices/booths) are used during a special event:

• Location and placement
  Booths will be located a minimum of three metres from any permanent structure, unless otherwise approved by the Fire Marshal. Cooking booths must be separated from non-cooking booths by three metres. Exit openings will be a minimum of .900 metres wide and 2.03 metres in height. Vehicles must be parked a minimum of six metres from the booth.

• Booth materials
  All fabric or pliable canopy covers, side/back drops and decorative material must conform to CAN/ULC-S109-M, “Flame Tests of Flame-Resistant Fabrics and Films.”

• Cooking Equipment
  When pressurized containers are to be used for heating or cooking appliances, they are to be labeled, secured and not accessible to the public. All cooking equipment must be of an approved type, including Coleman (or equivalent) stoves, propane or butane stoves, all barbecues and smokers and deep-frying units.

• Fire Extinguishers
  Each booth must be equipped with a minimum 2A10BC rated portable fire extinguisher. Deep-fry cooking operations require a six-litre “K-class” extinguisher.
  All fire extinguishers must be mounted and secured. They must be visible and easily accessible, and must have been serviced within the last year and have a service tag attached.

• Housekeeping
  The Fire Marshal encourages the use of non-combustible materials in the cooking. Avoid leave cooking food unattended.
  All trash containers must be made of non-combustible material and should be emptied regularly.
  Cooking surfaces should be cleaned regularly to prevent the build-up of grease. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing when cooking.